For the last half-century or so, scientists have been using mathematical equations to assess the possibility of existence of advanced civilizations in outer space. The main drawback of these equations is the number of factors which have assigned values to them that are unknown.
The new study shows that the biospheres that may support life on distant planets are quite rare, much rarer than we previously thought.
Most planets that have some zones where some sort of life may be possible simply do not received energy in quantities necessary to sustain such life.
Key Takeaways:
- A new study looked at the need for photosynthesis and concluded that few planets can support plant growth.
- While red dwarfs are too small, large, bright stars either burn out or explode too soon.
- These findings support the Rare Earth hypothesis, but they don’t mean that alien life is impossible everywhere.
“Stars that burn at half the heat of the sun do not provide enough energy for a rich biosphere to ever arise.”
Read more: https://bigthink.com/surprising-science/exoplanet-photosynthesis
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